Geminids meteor shower coming

The Geminids meteor shower will reach its maximum on Thursday, December 14. These meteors are fast and often have bright and short trails. During optimal weather conditions, 55-75 shooting stars per hour will be visible in our area next week along with other swarms.

During the night of December 14 to 15, weather permitting, shooting stars from the Geminids meteor shower can be seen. Around 00:45 is the best time to observe the meteor shower. That is approximately 7 hours after the maximum. The Geminids usually have a short peak: you have 21 hours to observe the shower. A day before or after, only 21% of the number of meteors can be seen.

The name Geminids comes from the constellation Gemini. In Dutch this constellation is called Gemini. The Geminids meteors appear to come from this constellation. It is one of the largest star showers in the world. The Geminids meteor shower was only first discovered in 1862 and has continued to increase in intensity ever since.

The moon will not play a major role in observing the Geminids, because the moon is barely visible. This can make it really dark. The sun rises at 8:41 am and around 8:00 am it starts to get dark.

Weather still uncertain during peak Geminids

The Geminids are best observed in a dark location with clear skies and little light pollution. Clouds can throw a spanner in the works. It is still unclear whether there will be (much) cloudiness during the peak moment. With our extensive weather forecast you stay informed of the weather conditions during the peak of the meteor shower.

Also read: the best tips for watching shooting stars.